Five Exciting Young Male Actors to Watch

Photo Credit: Summit Entertainment

February 23rd, 2014

Before any actor becomes a star alongside the film industry's greats, he must play leading roles in hit movies and play them well. Some emerging young actors are poised to break out and achieve the type of fame that makes them household names. Five in particular have started to capture attention, make headlines and land the types of roles that suggest that they are to be among the next generation of film celebrities.

Photo Credit: Summit Entertainment

Nicholas Hoult

This young Englishman already has an impressive acting resume. First seen in "About a Boy" as a child holding his own against Hugh Grant, his supporting role in the Oscar-nominated "A Single Man" put adult Nicholas on the map. In 2013, he starred in the well-received "Warm Bodies" as a zombie who falls in love, and he played Jack in the major 3D movie "Jack and the Giant Slayer." His role as young Hank McCoy/Beast in the "X-Men" films started in 2011 and ensures his place in the franchise that continues in 2014's "X-Men: Days of Future Past." His on-and-off-again relationship with actress Jennifer Lawrence keeps this talented actor in the spotlight. With or without Jen, though, this attractive actor's ability, range and choice of roles make him one to watch.

Photo Credit: Summit Entertainment

Logan Lerman

Logan is among the elite young actors to star in the "Percy Jackson & the Olympians" series, which has two installments already released and a third on the way. He began his acting career in 2000 in "The Patriot" as a child of Mel Gibson's character. In 2011, he played the role of d'Artagnan in Paul W. S. Anderson's film version of "The Three Musketeers." Logan made critics and audiences take notice with his performance as the lead character in the acclaimed 2012 indie film "The Perks of Being a Wallflower." His performance as the young, disaffected Charlie displayed his talent, charisma and emotional range. In 2014, Logan plays the role of Ham in Darren Aronofsky's biblical epic "Noah" and co-stars with Brad Pitt in David Ayer's World War II film "Fury" as an American soldier. This talented young actor has already appeared with Russell Crowe, Jim Carrey, Christian Bale, Renee Zellweger and other heavyweights and is clearly on a path to stardom.

Photo Credit: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Dylan O'Brien

Dylan is well-known as Stiles to fans of the wildly popular, critically acclaimed MTV series "Teen Wolf." Starting as a funny sidekick and best friend, Stiles has evolved into a complex and multilayered character. A true product of the Internet age, O'Brien began posting videos on his YouTube channel at age 14. These led to a web series, which led to a successful audition for "Teen Wolf." Dylan is poised to break out in 2014 on the big screen with the starring role in "The Maze Runner." Based on a popular series of sci-fi mystery books, "The Maze Runner" could be the first in a hugely popular franchise. Anyone who has seen Dylan's work so far is confident that he is up to the task of leading a major franchise.

Photo Credit: Columbia Pictures

Armie Hammer

Armie Hammer's first big role(s) was in "The Social Network" as the Winkelvoss twins, and his acting prowess stood out from the CGI that turned him into twins. Armie acted alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in Clint Eastwood's "J. Edgar" in 2011. His first starring role was the title character in "The Lone Ranger" in 2013, alongside Johnny Depp's Tonto. Upcoming for this rising star is the role of Ilya Kuryakin in Guy Ritchie's revisit of the classic 1960s spy show "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." where he co-stars with Henry Cavill. Look for this versatile, young actor to surprise moviegoers at every turn.

Photo Credit: Columbia Pictures

Andrew Garfield

As another star of "The Social Network," Andrew's role as Eduardo Saverin brought him both BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations for best actor in a supporting role in 2010. He was then cast as the lead in the massively popular reboot "The Amazing Spider-Man," which showcased his acting, athleticism and leading-man charm. With "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" to be released in 2014, Andrew is set to star in the drama "99 Homes" with Laura Dern.

To become a leading man in Hollywood, talent and good looks are obvious requirements, and connections always help. However, something else is essential: a certain spark, with charm and magnetism that create and captivate fans. While this is by no means an exhaustive list, as the world is full of talented actors, these five young actors have shown great talent, promise and potential to become acting superstars.